Morning Brew
by Punch Drunk Marc
Summary: Can something as small as a Latte really bring two people together? Natsu X Mira One-Shot, Short summary I know.


**I do not own Fairy Tail. All of its characters and sucj are properties of Hiro Mashima and his publishers.**

* * *

The rising sun broke through her blinds and shined on Mirajane's sleeping face, stirring her awake. She arose from her soft bed, yawning as she stretched her hands above her head. Only wearing her bra & panties, she walked over to her closet and grabbed her robe which was hanging from the door. She then opened her room door and walked into the hallway.

As she made her way to the bathroom, she passed both Elfman & Lisanna's rooms. She smiled as she looked inside each of their rooms. In Elfman's room she saw a bra and heels on the floor as her eyes followed the trail to the bed, she shook her head with a smile. It was obvious to her that Evergreen had stayed the night again. Mira didn't mind, she just wished that her brother was more forward about his relationship with her.

She smiled softly and closed the door on the two as quietly as she could as not to wake them. She then made her way to Lisanna's room. Mira placed her hand on the knob, slowly turning it as the door creaked open, revealing her younger sibling in bed. She cradled Happy in her arms as she was sound asleep. It was her turn to keep the blue cat, since she had returned she & Natsu made a deal to alternate between where Happy would sleep every week.

Mira looked around her sister's room, her walls were almost completely covered with pictures. Some from when she were young, some from Edolas, and some from after her return. Her favorite picture she kept at her bed side, it was of her and Natsu when they were kids. Natsu smiled his usual goofy smile while Lisanna smiled happily giving a peace sign.

Mira smiled and looked at her sister's clock, widening her eyes when she noticed the time. It was 6 AM. She shut the door as quietly as she could, and quickly reached the bathroom, her original destination. She took a hot quick shower and stepped out, wrapping a towel around her wet body as she looked in the mirror.

"I can't believe I wasted so much time. I have to open the guild hall before he gets there." She said to herself as she quickly brushed her hair. When she had finished, she grabbed her hair tie. Before she tied her bangs into her signature ponytail she looked at them as they fell upon on her forehead, causing her to reminisce when she was younger.

…

"Why do you always pick on me Mira?" She could hear Natsu's younger voice in her head, she picked on him a lot back in those days. She then began to visualize him tearing up.

"Aww, I'm sorry. Don't cry." Mira said with a blush, softening her voice.

"HA! What a crybaby!" This time she heard a young Gray provoking Natsu as the young dragon confronted him.

"What did you call me you droopy eyed streaker?" Natsu asked angrily as he pressed his forehead against Gray's both of them pushing each other fighting for position.

"You heard me lizard breath." Gray replied. The two began to brawl across the guild like they had every day.

"Mira stop them." Lisanna pleaded with her sister.

"Why?" Mirajane replied as she laughed.

"Stop fighting you two…NOW!" The boys instantly stopped fighting as they recognized the voice scolding them, it was Erza.

Mira glared at the young redhead, "Why do you always have to ruin everyone's good time Erza?"

"What is so "good" about destroying the guild hall Mira?" Erza asked glaring back at Mira.

Mira didn't like the way that Erza had said her name, with a hint of malice. Mirajane made her way over to Erza giving her the death stare. "You got something to say to me flat chest?" Mira said nastily as she stared Erza in the eyes.

Erza however didn't back down. "What if I do tramp?"

Mira drew back her fist, "I'll show you a tramp."

Erza drew back hers as well, "Oh yeah?"

The two girls began to brawl across the guild screaming and calling each other names just as Natsu & Gray previously had. Natsu & Gray sat on the floor and looked at the girls amazed.

"Man they're scary." Natsu said breaking the silence.

"You can say that again." Gray replied.

…

Mira chuckled to herself as the memories began to fade. She then placed her tie on her bangs and went back to her room. She put on her signature red dress and made her way out of her house. "If I don't hurry I won't make it before him." She began to run as she noticed the sun rising higher.

She paused for a moment when she reached the guild hall doors. She looked around to see if her target had arrived yet and let out a sigh of relief when he was nowhere in sight, she checked her watch it was 6:30 AM. "Good I still have time to spare." As she reached for the keys in her dress she heard a voice behind her.

"Morning Mira."

Mira jumped in fright as she turned around to see who had called her, it was Natsu.

"You alright?" Natsu asked slightly worried as the barmaid tried to catch her breath.

She smiled at him, "Yes, I'm fine. You're early this morning."

"Yeah," he replied smiling. "I usually wait for Happy to wake up before I come, but since he was staying with Lisanna I decided to come early."

Mira giggled, "You really want it don't you?"

"Yeah, I could hardly sleep last night thinking about it." He laughed and scratched behind his head.

"Well since you came so early you're going to have to wait." She placed the key in the lock turning it as the tumbles turned signaling it was unlocked.

"Oh well, I can wait. You always do it the best."

The two walked into the guild hall Mira taking her usual spot behind the bar while Natsu sat on a stool in front of it. She pulled out a mug with the initials N.D. on it, she then pull out a small metal pitcher. She poured milk into the pitcher and began to steam it.

Natsu sat on the other side of the bar transfixed on the silver haired maiden's process. He had the drink numerous times, but he never actually watched her make it, to him it was amazing.

Mira then moved over to the espresso machine when the milk was at the right temperature, she tampered the espresso expertly as she pulled the shot into the mug. She held the milk over the mug and smiled at Natsu. "What do you want today?"

"Hmmmm." Natsu thought to himself. "How about…Laxus."

"That might be a bit tricky, but I'll do my best." She said smiling at him as she poured the milk on the espresso, moving it around effortlessly. The espresso her canvas and the milk her medium. When she finished she placed the mug on a saucer and walked over to the bar top, placing it in front of Natsu.

"Here you go, one Laxus Latte." She giggled to herself as she thought of the alliteration.

Natsu looked at the beverage before him, marveling at the art the milk made. It looked exactly like Laxus, just as he asked, but he knew Mira never disappointed. He took a sip and smiled wide licking his lips as he savored the taste. "Mm." He moaned pleased, "As usual Mira, your drinks are the best."

She smiled at him, blushing a bit. "Well thank you Natsu. So, how was your mission yesterday?"

"Aw man, I had the perfect plan but as usual Gray ruined it." Natsu began irritated as he told his tale, Mira smiling and giving feedback like she did every morning.

For the past few months, Mirajane & Natsu met at the Guild hall before everyone else arrived. It started out as total coincidence, Mira would open the guild doors and Natsu would happen to show up a few minutes later.

They barely talked to one another during these early days, but that all changed one fateful day in July.

…

Mira wiped off the countertops from behind the bar as she looked at Natsu, who was sitting at his usual table. This was the 4th time this week that he arrived at the guild right after her. She could almost set her watch to it. They never really said more than hello to each other when he came in, and the silence before the others came in was more than a little uncomfortable. She crouched over the countertop, placing her hand under her chin as her breasts laid upon the newly cleaned countertop.

_This is really awkward_. She thought to herself. _He comes here every morning after I do, but we don't talk until the others get here._ She began to look for a topic of conversation, as she looked behind her, her eyes fell upon the espresso machine.

Mirajane's eyes widened as she formed an idea. She had recently seen local baristas in Magnolia making cute little designs out of the milk used in the espresso for latte's, she always wanted to be able to do it; but she never really had much of a flair for drawing.

She stood up and made her way to the espresso machine and shrugged, she thought even if she couldn't draw that it would at least be a nice conversation piece. She carefully made the espresso, when it came time to pour the milk into the mug she wasted more of it than she had drawing.

She placed the mug on a saucer and then placed that on the countertop. "Hey Natsu." She called softly to him.

"What's up Mira?"

"Could you come here? I want you to try something for me." She smiled.

Natsu got up from his table and walked to the bar, sitting at the stool in front of it. He stared down at the drink in front of him slightly unsettled. Brown liquid was dripping from the sides of the mug while a crudely drawn face was in the middle.

"What is this?"

Mira smiled at him, "It's a latte. They make it in the local coffee shops in Magnolia."

"I know what a latte is, Lucy drinks them all the time. I mean what is that?" he pointed at the face in the middle of the drink.

"It's supposed to be you." Mira said slightly sad.

"Sure doesn't look like me." Natsu replied coldly.

Mira buried her face in her hands and began to sob, making the Dragon Slayer feel guilty.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mira. I didn't mean to make you sad, please stop crying."

"Only if you try it." Mira said with her lower lip pouting.

"O…ok I'll try it." Natsu said hesitantly as he swallowed the lump in his throat. He slowly picked up the mug as Mira looked at him expectantly. He shakily put it against his lips and sipped…it was bitter, but it wasn't terribly bad.

"How is it?" she asked with a gleam in her eye.

"It's…not lethal if that's what you're asking."

"You don't like it." Mira began to tear up again, but Natsu quickly quelled the situation.

"I like it, I like it." He said giving a weak smile and uncomfortable laugh.

"Really?" she gave him a sly look.

"Y…yeah."

"Well since you like it so much I'll make you another one tomorrow." She said smiling at him.

"Greeaaat." Natsu said unenthused.

…

After that first drink, Mira started making Natsu a latte every morning when he came to the guild. Each day the designs became less crude and more intricate based on his requests, the latte itself becoming more satisfying to his tongue. Mira had stayed up many a night as she worked hard to perfect her technique.

The drink was slowly began to bring them closer together as time passed, they began to engage in friendly conversation. Their conversations initially only pertained to lattes and drinks but slowly evolved into missions they had went on, when they were young, the state of the guild, and even the state of the world.

Over time Mirajane began to realize just how Natsu saw the world and vice versa. They began to understand each other, enjoying each other's company more and more. It eventually came to a point where Mira couldn't even properly start her morning without making Natsu a latte.

At first she wanted to ease the awkwardness around him, then she wanted to be acknowledged for her lattes, and now she just wanted his company. It became a routine, one she had grown quite fond of.

As she closed the guild that night, Mirajane became lightheaded. She walked back to her home her thoughts filled with Natsu. She tossed and turned in her bed as she thought of him. _I have to tell him how I feel, but I don't know how._ Her eyes widened as she thought of the perfect plan. She then drifted off to sleep, a smile on her face.

The next morning, Mira awoke from her bed heading towards the bathroom while checking on her siblings like she did every morning. After she took her shower and tied her hair, she put on her dress and headed towards the guild hall.

Natsu once again meeting her there, a smile on his face as he said good morning to her. They headed to the bar same as every morning and Mira began her ritual. "What do want this morning?"

Natsu smiled at her, "Surprise me."

She smiled softly, "I was kinda hoping you would say that." Slightly blushing as she put the finishing touch on her latest masterpiece.

Natsu looked up, closing his eyes as to not ruin the surprise. Mirajane finished making the drink and placed it under him. He could smell the sweet aroma as he opened his eyes. He looked down to see what Mira had crafted this time, but as he looked down at his morning brew he blushed.

In the latte was not a face, or a symbol, or a landmark that Mira usually made, but a simple heart. In the middle of the heart were three words more sacred than any face or symbol:

I Love You

Natsu struggled to speak. "Uh, Miraj-"

Mira grabbed his scarf, pulling his face towards hers as she passionately kissed him on the lips, she tasted like a vanilla mocha. She let go of his scarf and moved back, smiling at the pink haired dragons still red face.

She walked back to the espresso machine, "Something wrong?" she asked sultrily as Natsu raised the mug to his freshly kissed lips. Sipping the delicious latte.

"Nope." He answered smiling.

"Good." She replied as she began to wash the espresso parts.

"Hey Mira?"

"Yes Natsu?"

Natsu held up his mug and looked to his left, his face red from embarrassment, "How's about I make you a latte next time?" Natsu asked as he took another sip of his drink, face still red as Erza's long hair.

Mira smiled warmly as her cheeks turned red.

"I'd like that."

…

* * *

**This pairing has kind of always been in the back of my mind so i decided to write this one-shot. Let me know what you guys think. R&R :)**


End file.
